Thursday, December 1, 2016

Please note:
As of September 2017 this series will no longer be updated here.
All content has been transferred to a new site called Cabinet Card Photographers
All future additions will be made there.

Most often a found photograph is of unknown people by an unknown photographer. Occasionally the names of the people in a photograph are written on it later. But, very seldom do we ever learn the name of the photographer.

In the case of the Cabinet Card and the Carte de Viste (CDV) the photographer's name or studio name is often included as part of the mounting. It is sometimes at

the narrow end of the mounting board on the front and sometimes it is given in an elaborate fashion on the reverse of the card.

These pages of the LOST GALLERY will present all of the CABINET CARDS in the collection where the photographer is known.

The name of the photographer will be

repeated in the text so that it can be included in internet searches by Google and Bing and the rest.

As more information about the photographer emerges it will be added here.

This is a project in progress. If you don't find something here on a photographer you are researching, check back again.

Below are the links to the alphabetized pages in the LOST GALLERY cabinet card collection.

Searches often turn up Harry Fetter and even Harvey G. Fetter of Peru, IN, but it is believed that Henry Fetter is the correct name.

1828 Nov 12
Indiana death certificate, born in Carlisle, PA 1844
bio sketch, moves to Danville, PA works as printer until 18481849 -1852
bio sketch, works as photographer in West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana1853
bio sketch, settles in Peru, IN1858
county registration marries Ellen Cole in Peru, IN1860
US census as Ambrotypist in Peru, IN1861 Mar 19
County registry and bio sketch, appointed postmaster of Peru, IN1864
Miami county directory, as photographer and postmaster1867
bio sketch, moves to Logansport, IN, and runs gallery for about 10 years1870
US census as photographer in Logansport, IN

This cabinet card and tintype are not in the LOST GALLERY collection. The biography and timeline are added here for informational purposes only.

This is a difficult search because there seems to be no place named Kensington, IL, today. Apparently, in the early 1800’s it was a small railway suburb of Chicago and was absorbed by three other suburbs over time. Today, only a major street, Kensington Avenue, is all that remains.

In that era, there are several listings for L. Feuerstein, L. B. Feuerstein, Louis Feuerstein and Leander B, Feuerstein. All were in the right area, one even addressed on Kensington Avenue. All were watch makers and jewelers except for Leander who was a saloon keeper. Any of these could have had a camera as a sideline but no claim of photographer has been found.

Pius Fey (27 Jan 1855 - 30 Jul 1943) and Henry Jacob Braunig (01 Apr 1861 - Dec 1945) were partners from 1878 to 1909.
A Google search of their names will give all the biography information needed.
An excellent biography of Braunig and account of the partnership is at TexasEscapes.com but see alsoLavaca County PhotographersPortal to Texas History

This is the reverse of the card at the left.
On the reverse:
Mrs J. H. Fitzgibbon
(The Photographer's Wife)

Photographer
Way & Fletcher
154 Claybourn Ave.
Chicago

John Way and Fred Fletcher

It appears Way and Fletcher operated together only in 1888 at 154 Claybourn in Chicago, IL. They appear in only in one Chicago city directory, 1888. They do not appear in the 1889 city directory together or separately. John Way appears with no occupation in the 1887 directory but not Fletcher. Where they were before and after is not known at this time.

FORD'S FINE ART GALLERY

Photographer
Ford's Fine Art Gallery
McHenry, Ill.

Reverse of the card on the left

Different reverse for the card on the left

There are two copies of this photograph in LOST GALLERY. Although the photograph is the same, the reverse sides are different designs but the same information.

Photographer B. A. Ford is difficult to trace. He was born in Rhode Island, US, in 1833, which was drawn from only one census, 1880, that was found. Newspaper items place him positively in McHenry, IL, between December of 1866 and October of 1893. After that he is for a time in Joliette, IL, and then Braidwood, IL. No obituary could be found.

Several news items were found, the most informational are added here.

The cabinet cards here were probably finished between about 1853 and 1877. There is a possibility also that the subsequent photographers operating in the Ford Fine Art Gallery space after he sold out, kept the gallery name. The cards are quite primitive and were possibly done early in that time span.

Rollin M. Foster (14 Feb 1858 - 26 Feb 1924)
All documents list him as a photographer beginning with the 1900 US Census.] but he was probably already established by 1880.
Documents show R. M. Foster was in Kansas from 1886 to 1897 then to Iowa for a couple years.

The US Census for 1900 says he was back in Kansas.

Then the 1910 US Census says he is back in Iowa at 52

The cabinet card at the left was probably finished between 1886 and 1897.

A comment from Flickr viewer Claire :
Mr. Foster really got around. He had studios in Pleasantville and Harvey, Iowa as well as in Missouri before coming to Cawker City. He married Miss Ayres in Cawker before they moved to Enterprise where she died. R. M. Foster was not his real name. He was trying to hide his Jewish heritage. Later, he moved to Lincoln, Nebraska where he took the name of the street he lived on!.

Photographer:
W. C. Fox
16 N. Third Street
Harrisburg, Pa.

Wilson C. Fox (1845 - 1899)
When Wilson C. Fox was born about 1848, in Pennsylvania, his father, Henry, was 31 and his mother, Martha, was 32.

He had three sons and two daughters with wife Ellen Martha Eichelberger between 1869 and 1878. He died in 1899 in Pennsylvania, at the age of 51, and was buried in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania city directories show he was an active photographer at 16 N. 3rd in Harrisburg, PA, from 1886 through 1890. He was an insurance agent beyond that but could have done photograph work in addition to his main profession. There is some evidence that a son, Stewart W. Fox, worked with him at the studio and continued with photography after 1890

1852
G. C. Freeman born in Ohio1880 Jun 08
US census Freeman as artist is in Montcalm, MI
1882 Galveston (TX) Daily News item mentions arrival of G. C. Freeman of Brenham, TX1882–1883
Columbus, TX partner with David H. Swartz in the photographic firm of Swartz & Freeman1883
San Marcos (TX) Free Press small “notice” says there is a new photograph gallery in San Marcos, TX, under the management of G. C. Freeman of Swartz and Freeman, from Brenham, TX, adding they will be there only a short time1883 Apr 26, May 03
San Marcos (TX) Free Press small ads for Swartz and Freeman

Sometime after 1880, Gamaliel C. Freeman moved from Michigan to Texas. There he partnered with Swartz (David H) in 1882 working in Texas towns such as San Marcos, Colorado, and Temple. In 1884, David Swartz sells out his part of the business to Freeman. Freeman apparently works alone until partnering with John Swartz. That partnership can be documented in 1888 through 1892.

Freeman quits the photographer business around 1893 to work for the YMCA and never returns. He is murdered in a robbery in 1911 while apparently on a field trip for the YMCA, looking for a boy’s camp location.

Considering the condition and style of the cabinet card here, it was most likely finished between 1888 and 1892 when Freeman was partnered with John Swartz and working in Denison, TX.

San Marcos (TX) Free Press - 19 Apr 1883

Denison (TX) Gazetteer - 28 Feb 1892

Photographer:
Freeman and Easterly
McKinney, Texas
Listed also under Easterly

Research is incomplete on Freeman and Easterly of McKinney, Texas.

Information written on the reverse indicates this card was finished in 1885 or 1886. This then could possibly be Gamaliel C. Freeman as previously reviewed. Gamaliel C. Freeman was not in partnership with Swartz at the time.

There was a Thomas Martin Easterly (1809-1882) who traveled a bit but worked mostly in St. Louis, MO. He also worked mainly with the Daguerreotype process. There are no records so far, placing him in Texas. And further, if the dates on the reverse of this card are accurate, he would have been deceased.

Research in progress to find which Freeman and Easterly formed this partnership.

Ralph A. Fritz was found in the 1900 US Census listed as a photographer working in Waterloo, IA. In the 1880 US Census he was just 16 and still living at home. In the 1901 Waterloo city directory he is listed as photographer. He was 36 at that time.

By 1905 he had moved to South Dakota. In the US Census of 1910 he is listed as a carpenter in Oregon and no records after that indicate he ever returned to photography or Mount Carroll, IL. Roughly he was a photographer then from about 1885 to about 1905. Exactly when he was working in Mount Carroll, IL, is still unknown. Waterloo is less than 30 miles from Mount Carroll.

In 1900 Christian L. Eskelsen, his wife and three sons lived in Jackson, Iowa, less than 30 miles from Mount Carroll and Waterloo. Any one of them could have been that short term partner of Fritz.

This quote from the Find-A-Grave website may offer a clue:“Henry C. Eskelsen, a young man came here about a week ago took suddenly ill at the home of Ralph Fritz on Gales Crest and died in a few hours Tuesday afternoon. Born July 25, 1887 in Iowa and came here from Portland. He leaves a brother Arnold Eskelson at Reedly, Calif.; and father, C. L. Eskelson, Sabula, Iowa. TB was the cause of death.

[Washington County News, 22 Jul 1909]
Coroner's inquest states Mr. Eskelsen died July 20, 1909 at the house of Ralph Fritz of Forest Grove of natural causes, suffering from tuberculosis. He was six foot tall, medium complexion, blue eyes, brown hair. The remains were delivered to V R Limber for burial. A brother, Arnold Eskelsen lives on a ranch at Mount Campbell, Ca. Testimony of Mr. Fritz states he knew the deceased at Mount Carroll, Ill. His mother died about three years ago at Sebula, Iowa of TB”

Photographer: Lou Fullerton
Stanberry, Missouri

Lou May Fullerton (20 Jan 1869 - 21 Jan 1953)
Lou Fullerton never married and lived at home until her parents died and then she moved in with her married sister Eva Fullerton Warriner. They continued to live together after Eva’s husband died.

She is listed in the US Census of 1900 as a photographer. In all other years, 1880, 1910, 1920 and 1930 her occupation is blank. Even her death certificate in 1953 shows her as a “retired” Music Teacher.

The US Census of 1910 and 1920, have her name as Lula M. Fullerton. In 1930 and 1940 it is Lou M. Fullerton.

From these scant records it appears that any photography by Lou Fullerton would probably be from around 1900.

Please note:
As of September 2017 this series will no longer be updated here.
All content has been transferred to a new site called Cabinet Card Photographers
All future additions will be made there.